FM denies move to make bank lockers digital

New Delhi: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today denied any move to digitise personal lockers in banks.

“Completely factually incorrect. There is no such proposal,” he told CNBC TV18 on rumours going around on social media that the government may next digitise bank lockers which would be opened in presence of revenue officials.

The rumour has been floating ever since the government withdrew high denomination currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 in the nation’s biggest crackdown on black money and corruption.

Jaitley said a large number of ATMs will start operating from midnight tonight after which the inconvenience will ease.

Huge rush and long serpentine queues were witnessed today at banks, which opened today after a day’s break, as people jostled to get lower denomination currency and new banknotes in lieu of the now-defunct currency.

ATMs also had shut down soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday night announced withdrawal of 500 and 1,000 rupee notes from circulation in a bid to flush out black money. They will start operating from midnight tonight.

PTI